LGA chief to leave for London borough

Local Government Association chief executive Carolyn Downs has been appointed the new chief executive of Brent LBC.

Ms Downs, who has been at the LGA since November 2011, is due to take up her role later in year once her appointment has been ratified at a meeting of full council on 22 June.

Christine Gilbert, the current chief executive at Brent congratulated Ms Downs on her appointment and added: “It has been a great privilege to have served as the chief executive for Brent Council.”

Prior to her appointment at the LGA, Ms Downs was chief executive of the Legal Services Commission. Before that she served as deputy permanent secretary and director general of corporate performance at the Ministry of Justice.

Between 2003 and 2009 Ms Downs was chief executive of Shropshire CC before it became a unitary.

Brent’s leader Muhammed Butt (Lab) said he was “delighted” to have appointed Ms Downs. He said: “Carolyn was the outstanding candidate in what was a highly competitive recruitment process, and I am confident that she will bring with her a wealth of public sector experience and enthusiasm to Brent, at a time when this council and local authorities everywhere face such unprecedented challenges.”

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